For the first time in a long time, the Washington Commanders are the envy of other NFL teams thanks to their 3-1 start and an offense that’s already setting NFL records just one month into the season.
For those good vibes to continue, the Commanders are going to need more than just offense.
Bleacher Report’s Matt Holder listed cornerback as Washington’s weakest position headed into a Week 5 game against the Cleveland Browns on Oct. 6 and suggested the possibility of signing veteran cornerback Tre Herndon, who is a free agent after spending the first 6 seasons of his career with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Herndon Played Way Onto Jags’ Roster as UDFA
The Jaguars used Herndon as a full-time starter for 2 seasons and he had a career-high 3 interceptions in 2019 and a career-high 62 tackles in 2020. In 6 seasons in Jacksonville, Herndon played in 83 games with 34 starts. He signed a 1-year, $1.1 million free-agent contract with the New York Giants in June 2024 but was part of their final roster cuts on Aug. 27.
Commanders Have One of NFL’s Worst Secondaries
Through 4 games, the Commanders have given up more passing touchdowns (10) than any team in the NFL and have no interceptions. They’re also 10th in the NFL in team passing defense and are last in the NFL in opponents’ QB ratings (123.3).
The Commanders have been down 1 cornerback since the season opener, when 2023 first-round pick Emmanuel Forbes Jr. tore the UCL on his thumb and underwent surgery on Sept. 13, although Forbes didn’t earn a starting spot in training camp and only played 33 snaps, giving up 3 receptions on 3 targets at 12.7 yards per catch.
While Benjamin St.-Juste has been at one of the starting cornerback spots for the entire season, rookie Mike Sainristil has taken over as the starter opposite St.-Juste, with opening-day starter and former first-round pick Noah Igbinoghene moving to Sainristil’s spot at nickleback.
Sainristil helped lead Michigan to an undefeated season and College Football Playoff national championship in 2023. The Commanders selected him in the second round (No. 50 overall) of the 2024 NFL draft.
Sainristil showed a knack for making big plays in 2023 with 2 forced fumbles and 6 interceptions for 232 return yards, including two returned for touchdowns.
“Reliable and tough with the athleticism and upside to keep getting better as a nickel corner,” NFL analyst Lance Zierlein wrote in his pre-draft evaluation. “Sainristil is a former receiver who plays with surprising field awareness and attention to detail as a zone defender. He has the twitch and footwork to stay connected with routes in man coverage but needs more experience at the position to operate with better recognition and feel for the routes.”
